Pravda

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281 Lafayette St (at nr. Prince St.)
New York, NY 10012

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(212) 226-4944
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Bars, Pubs & Clubs

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Food & Dining

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Pravda - New York, NY
Pravda - New York, NY
Pravda - New York, NY
Pravda - New York, NY
Reviews
( 11 )
( 19 )
( 2 )
( 6 )
( 6 )

Best

Wow ! New York scene is getting much needed education. Pravda's Silent Movies on Sunday nights . Its unique experience, have a tea, and a chocolate cake with a friend and se...

Worst

I live in the nabe and passed the place for years before finally going in. The space was attractive, comfortable - its red and brown hues inviting. I went with two friends who dri...

Bit too crowded 10/20/2006

I never thought I'd long for the days when the bouncers enfored an impossible velvet rope, but this place could actually benefit from turning a few people away. It's so crowded you can't even move, and a space that could have been fantastically intimate has become a noisehall where you can't hear what anyone is saying and you're always in fear the drunk guy crammed next to you is going to spill his drink on your shoes. On the bright side, though, they do have a large selection of martinis and they are good. more
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I don't even bother ordering martinis anywhere else 8/23/2006

Pravda has me so spoiled. In comparison, chocolate martinis at other bars taste my grandma's ensure. Pros: chocolate and apple martini Cons: price...but it is worth it... more
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Amazing Drinks 7/16/2006

By far, Pravda makes some of the best drinks in the city. Everything was made to perfection. Pravda has a great atmosphere as well. I got there on a crowded night, but was still seated at a table promptly. The bar got very crowded, which made it difficult to order a drink when I wasn't sitting at the table. This is a great place to start the night. Pros: Drinks, Atmosphere Cons: a little pricey more
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Best Martinis 7/2/2006

I had a party for my financee here- We arrived 2 hours late for when I had requested the tables- they were so accomdating and got us all seated right away. The Leninade was to die for- it tasted like candy :) Service was great- we had a group of 17 and no one was ever without a drink. Pros: Great drinks, Good service Cons: Expensive more
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Back to USSR. 6/6/2006

No, no it's not a bad thing. Nice 1920s decorum. Old mirrors with peeling silver great cocktails and vodkas. Great snacks. An atmosphere that many swankiest places lack. This place has a vibe and a soul. Your mileage may vary due to a fact that this is not a big secret anymore and has not been for years. Back in 2001 when we first found it by accident it was like finding a gem in a city full of mediocre lounges. Patrons were quite different then, but by all means go and give this place a try. If you lucky you going to find some of its soul still there. Something to be said about the place that kept quality of drinks and food throughout the years. Pros: Atmosphere, Food Cons: Somedays crowd's wack more
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be careful! check your bill! 3/26/2006

the waitress was really insistent, pushing a mysterious polish vodka on us but couldn't say what it was she like about it. In the end of an uncomfortable experience (7 people around a booth made for 4 - even though other tables were available) they OVERBILLED US $50.00! lame. Pros: nice room, good drinks Cons: terrible service, eurotrashy, joisy noisy more
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Sip in style 2/18/2006

Behind the red velvet curtain is a vodka lover's dream..posh, leather chairs invite you to sip a cocktail and enjoy conversation with your date, as well as people-watch in a dimly-lit, cavern-like atmosphere. For $12 I felt the rush of vodka flavored with a huge yummy slice of fresh ginger. The wait staff had that reserved, European demeanor, all the more emphasized by their black attire; cool in a good way. Will return when I have a few bucks to burn. Pros: excellent vodka, very romantic, cozy for talking Cons: a bit pricey, almost stuffy more
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Nice 8/10/2005

I really like this place. While I discovered it supposedly after it's highday I absolutely adore it. It's nicely dark, the drinks are great, and it just feels like a private spot for you and your friends. The drinks are amazing and their selection of vodkas is outstanding. The food is great too. The caviar is great and prepared very aesthetically pleasing. more
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bad experience MCC 8/8/2005

Martini - good Cash - great Credit Card - Oops...we charge you twice We just had been through trouble experience on our Credit Card Charges. more
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TRUTH! 1/12/2005

I had my 30th bday party here with about 75 attendees and had a great time. Pravda was very helpful with accomodating our specific needs and was very gracious to all of my guests. I have been back a few times in smaller groups and have always enjoyed myself and the fabulous maritinis. I look forward to my next visit. more
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better than thou host 3/5/2004

The host would not take my name, and let me sit with my friends. There were about 20 of us, but we only needed a few people to sit. One of my friends was in from out of town for my birthday, and is battling a fatal disease. He is weak, and was having difficulty standing. After apprising the host of the situation, he failed to let us sit at the emply tables, even for just a few minutes. Unfortunately, the delicious martinis are secondary when I think about the host, who left me with a sour taste in my mouth. Although I never get this angry, I was near tears on my birthday, and will never again pay 11 dollars for a martini to be treated like such crap. Pros: , drinks Cons: , service, host, host, more
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they lost some long-time customers 1/14/2004

We recently went for a birthday celebration, about 15 of us. We ordered plenty of drinks, lots of caviar, but someone brought in cupcakes for the birthday girl, and were promptly told "if you eat that cupcake I will charge everyone at the table $5." It was a typically non-busy tuesday. We had a bill well over $1000 but couldnt eat our cupcake thanks to the hostess and rude waitress, each of whome were real see you next tuesdays. Horribly unpleasant workers lost our business going forward. Pros: ha! Cons: rude hostess, rude waitress, cupcake eating charge more
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Absolutely Terrible 1/13/2004

We went last night for a friend's birthday. There were 15 of us ordering a ton of expensive drinks and caviar. Someone brought cupcakes for the birthday girl. The hostess/manager/wanna be cop came running over and said "if you eat that cupcake I will charge everyone at the table $5." It was a Tues. night, not very busy -- our bill was enormous -- give me a break -- it's a cupcake. They were incredibly mean and rude (as was our waitress -- who was sure to add a 20% tip to the bill). I have been to places just as trendy that allowed us to have a cake for a birthday. They lost 15 repeat customers last night. Cons: service, price, atmosphere more
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Having your cake but not eating it too 1/13/2004

Went to Pravda for a friend's birthday. We had a bar/caviar tab of over $500. When someone gave the birthday girl cupcakes, the hostess came over and yelled at us. She threatened to charge $5 per person if she took a bite of the cupcake. It was a Tuesday night -- not very busy and here we were spending a lot of money in their establishment. Let the birthday girl eat a god damned cupcake for her birthday! more
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THe SpOt 5/23/2003

I've been going for a couple of years now and I have never had a bad experience. Anyone I take there is impressed. Good Drinks, Good Food, Variety in Music, Mixed crowd...SWEET! more
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Not Russian, but Nice 1/27/2003

This place is not Russian. Rather, it is a nice collection of many well know Russian clichés. There's vodka, Caviar, and things named after Russian czars. If you want an authentic Russian experience, look elsewhere, but this is certainly a place to go to if you want to have a good time. The atmosphere is very comfortable. The desserts are delicious. The martini was amazing. My friends and I had a good time. The price was expensive ($10 per drink and for most desserts, and a lot for caviar), but I will keep coming back. Pros: Good decor, Good food, good drinks Cons: Not Really Russian more
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great weekday spot! 1/22/2003

I've been visiting Pravda off and on for close to three years. It's a great place to chill out with friends during the week with a good strong drink. One of the best deals in the city for a plain old vodka martini. Most of them are $7.50, and you get the whole shaker. Service has always been friendly and competent. It's best when it's not very crowded and you can get a table. Not a great place to have to stand around with a vodka martini. There's still a line occasionally to get in on weekends. Pros: great vodka list, cozy ambience Cons: weekend crowds more
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Great mango-infused vodka 1/11/2003

What a nice little place! The vodka was exceptional, the crowd was great and the menu small but likeable. I'm taking my wife for Valentine's! more
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great entrance, bad exit 12/13/2002

had a terrific time here on a night out with a friend -- even though we arrived on an evening where there was a private party downstairs, the hostess was very accomodating and we were seated shortly thereafter. great vodka selection, excellent oyster appetizer. we left Pravda to go elsewhere for dinner, but then came back for the thirty year tawny and a warm chocolate cake. the staff recognized us on re-entry, and treated us with a pleasant familiarity, seating us immediately. the place was alive with energy and conversation. the one sour note: coat check girl lost my umbrella (on a stormy night) and then argued with me about it. but the rest of the experience was well worth it. Pros: great service, vodka selection, lots of energy Cons: coat check hell more
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Awesome Place 11/26/2002

Great place for a date, especially on a weeknight. Martinis are delicious. The crowd is young, it will be busy, but not overcrowded. more
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Menu for Pravda


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Editorial

  • Having fallen from its place on the hot list serves this clandestine underground lounge and its imported-vodka devotees well. Without pressure to impress, its dramatic interior casts a much warmer glow. Moscow mementos and Cyrillic scrawlings are just a stylistic footnote to well-loved leather club chairs, tiny tables and a golden ceiling that arches low. The patrons are no longer model-slammin' gorgeous, but fans and friends still flock. They go to sample Russian vodkas as well as those from Poland, the Ukraine and more than 10 other countries. Here the liquor mixes smoothly with caviar, fat cigars and drinks priced as if rubles grow on trees.

  • 8/13/2003 Provided by Citysearch
Additional information
  • Hours: Mon-Wed 5pm-1am Thu 5pm-2am Fri-Sat 5pm-3am Sun 6pm-1am
  • Payments: Master Card, Visa, American Express
  • Neighborhoods: Downtown, NoLita
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